Cordocentesis; Indications, Techniques, Complications and a Training Course

Cordocentesis is a procedure to sample fetal blood from the umbilical cord by a needle that is inserted through the maternal abdominal wall under continuous ultrasonographic monitoring. Typical indications for cordecentesis are the fetal risk of thalassemia and rapid daryotyping. Fetal intravascular accessibility allows the possibility of proceeding to more difficult invasive procedures of performing intrauterine blood transfusions or other intrauterine fetal therapies. At least cordocentesis should be performed at 18 weeks of gestation, with no more fetal loss rate. The procedure-related fetal loss risk is 1.4% which is mainly associated with the surgeon’s skill and experience. Therefore, it is necessary for the surgeon to practice increasingly to develop their skill and lower associated complications. The author here also presents a cordocentesis training course for early practitioners to develop their skill in cordocentesis, without any fetal and maternal jeopardy. Chiang Mai Med J 2007;46(3):119-127.